Hythe

Not to be confused with Hythe (Hampshire).

Hythe is in the District of Shepway, in Kent. In medieval times Hythe was one of the Cinque Ports responsible for England's maritime defence. Then the Kent coast silted up, leaving the village inland.

Visitor information

• Visit Folkestone and Hythe website

Get in

By car

Your best option.

From London, the main road leading towards Hythe is the M20, which runs via Maidstone and Ashford. Exit the M20 at junction 11, and follow the signs for Hythe. From the Brighton direction, take the A259 via Hastings, Winchelsea and Rye along the scenic coast route. Coming from the Dover direction, travel along the A20 and M20, passing by Folkestone and the Channel Tunnel, and exiting junction 11.

By train

The nearest train station to Hythe is the annoyingly-rural 1 Sandling station, which is served by one Southeastern train per hour in each direction on the line from London Charing Cross to Dover Priory. Infrequent buses (Stagecoach routes 10, 10A, and 18) link the station to Hythe; alternatively, your only options are to call a taxi (JJ Taxis, ☏ +44 1303 244 442) or to walk the two-and-a-bit miles along the road into town - fortunately, there is a pavement.

See

Guinea baboon mother and child at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park

• 1 Port Lympne Reserve (Lympne in pronounced LIM), Aldington Road, Lympne, CT21 4LR (4 miles (6.4 km) west of Hythe, via A261 + B2067. A bus (Stagecoach route 10) runs from Ashford International Station past the reserve to Folkestone), ☏ +44 1303 264 647, info@aspinallfoundation.org. Open daily. Apr-Oct 9:30AM-6:30PM, Nov-Mar 9:30AM-5PM. A 600-acre estate owned by the Aspinall Foundation, a conservation charity. The park is half zoo, to be explored on foot, and half guided safari visit by 4x4. The collection covers a wide range of large mammals including African painted dogs, Andean spectacled bears, Barbary lions, cheetahs, eastern black rhinoceros, European grey wolves, Rothschild's giraffes, Siberian tigers, western lowland gorillas, and wildebeest. Several restaurants and numerous pricey on-site accommodation options, including an historic country house hotel, glamping in the woods, and boutique lodges which are literally glass-to-glass with the enclosures of some of the park's most charismatic animals. Day ticket: adult from £18.16, child 3-15 years from £15.45, under 3 years free. Quoted prices for online booking; tickets bought at the gate cost more. (updated Jun 2020)

Do

• 1 Brockhill Country Park, Sandling Road, CT21 4HL (Between Hythe and the A20. Bus: 10, 10A, 18), ☏ +44 3000 420 993, kentcountryparks@kent.gov.uk. Park: daily 9AM-9PM/dusk (whichever is earliest), café: Feb-Nov daily 10AM-4PM. 54 acres (22 ha) of oak, sycamore and walnut woodland, plus meadows and chalk downland, through the middle of which a picturesque stream flows to a small lake. Two marked trails and a number of unmarked paths allow you to explore, take in the sea views and possibly do some geocaching. The decent kiddies' playground, picnic area and popular vegetarian café complete the visit. Entry free. Parking: M-F £1.50, Sa, Su, bank holiday £2.50.  

• 2 The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RH&DR), Hythe Station, Scanlons Bridge Road, CT21 2LD (On A259 by Royal Military Canal. Bus: 10, 10A, 16, 16A, 18, 102, 105.), ☏ +44 1797 362 353, info@rhdr.org.uk. Apr-Oct Daily all day, Nov-Mar Sa Su all day. Check daily timetables here. This 15-inch (ultra-narrow-gauge) steam railway wends its way for 13 3⁄4 miles (22.1 km) along the coast past Romney Marsh's grazing sheep and Napoleonic defences to Dungeness, a shingly headland unlike any other British landscape; the full journey takes 1 hr 5 min one way. The train calls at five intermediate stations, all of which offer a different village, beach, or area of countryside to explore on foot or by bike. "Romney Rover" (unlimited travel along line for one day): £19 adult, £17 concession, £9.50 child, £2 bicycle. (updated Jun 2020)

The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch

• 3 The Royal Military Canal (RMC), ☏ +44 1797 367 934, mail@rmcp.co.uk. 28-mile (45 km) canal dug between 1804 and 1809 as an extra line of defence against invasion from France by Napoleon's Grande Armée. A towpath runs alongside, making it possible to walk, cycle, or row the entire length. Because motorised boat traffic is forbidden, the RMC is favoured by aquatic wildlife such as glow worms, kingfishers, marsh frogs, and water voles. Hythe is near the eastern end of the canal, and the section within the town was converted into ornamental use in the 1860s. This part is especially beautiful, lined with elm, copper beech and weeping willow trees. (updated Jun 2020)

Eat

• Vinodhon Tandoori Restaurant, 74 High Street, ☏ +44 1303 265834. Daily noon-2:30PM, 6-11:30PM; closed Friday lunchtime. Fully licensed and air conditioned Indian restaurant. A take-away menu is available, offering 15% discount on all orders over £10. A good selection of dishes on the menu. 
• The White Hart, 71 High Street, CT21 4AJ, ☏ +44 1303 263121. 

Drink

• 1 The Kings Head, 117 High St, CT21 5JJ, ☏ +44 1303 266283. Reputedly the oldest pub in Hythe, dating back to 1583. (updated Oct 2018)
• 2 The Fountain Inn, 171 Seabrook Rd, CT21 5RT, ☏ +44 1303 470495. noon-11PM. (updated Oct 2018)
• 3 The Globe Inn, 6-8 High St, CT21 5AT, ☏ +44 1303 266052. M-Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-3PM. (updated Oct 2018)

Sleep

• The Hythe Imperial, Prince's Parade, CT21 6AQ, ☏ +44 1303 267441. 
• The Swan Hotel, 59 High Street, CT21 4AJ, ☏ +44 1303 266311. 
• The Red Lion Hotel, Red Lion Square, CT21 5AU, ☏ +44 1303 266686. 

Go next

• Romney Marsh
• Port Lympne

Routes through Hythe

London ← Ashford ←	NW  E	→ Folkestone → Dover
Hastings ← Romney Marsh ←	SW  E	→ Folkestone